Scans of my 1996 SPX Baseball box break are now available in my Photobucket account. I apologize for the quality — some look better than the others. My scanner needs to be worked on, I have a line that runs through the platen glass. Boo. Anyway, if you missed the break, you can watch it here.
Archive for October, 2009
1996 SPX baseball scans available
Posted in Newspaperman with tags baseball, baseball cards, box break, sports, SPX on October 24, 2009 by Cardboard IconsVIDEO Box Break: 1996 SPX Baseball
Posted in Box / Pack Break with tags baseball, box break, Ken Griffey Jr., old school, sports, SPX, Upper Deck on October 21, 2009 by Cardboard IconsAbout a week ago I wrote about my love for the original SPX cards. Not the junk that UD passes off these days as SPX or simply X, but the original stuff: the die-cut cards with the holoview technology, the one-card per pack, hit-or-miss product that collectors loved back in the mid 90s. Well, no less than two days after writing about it, I bought a box of 1996 baseball on ebay for about $36. I decided to do my first ever video break. I’ll scan the cards and post them later this week when I’ve got more time.
A little background about the video. I’m using a Web site called Qik. Some of you may be familiar with it, but some media-type folks like myself are using this site for multimedia stuff because you can stream video … live. No editing and uploading to YouTube. I mean L-I-V-E, as if you can watch me rip packs or break a box as I do it. Baring a few seconds lag time, the site is pretty good for a low-budget multimedia video. In the future I’ll try to give advance notice here, but if you’re on Twitter, it’s even easier to get the word out that way. That is what I did on Wednesday when this box arrived. You can follow me at www.twitter.com/cardboardicons. Also, my future videos will be posted at HERE.
Check out Qik if you’re interested. Basically you can use your smart phone (I’m using a Samsung BlackJack II) to all this stuff, no need for high-quality video cameras unless your shooting other types of movies. Oh, and the site is free. Enjoy.
Topps Spokesman David Wright getting assaulted caught on cardboard
Posted in Newspaperman with tags Assault, baseball, David Wright, Derek Jeter, Dusty Rhodes, Karate Kid, Kevin Youkilis, Shane Victorino, sports, Topps on October 21, 2009 by Cardboard IconsTopps Spokesman David Wright was assaulted by three teammates earlier this year after stealing the show during a World Baseball Classic game. Wright jacked a home run and teammates Kevin Youkilis, Derek Jeter and Shane Victorino pummeled him before he got to the plate. Youkilis gave him a Karate Kid crane kick to the back, Jeter went with the Dusty Rhodes style elbow and Victorino looks like he is trying to stab Wright, but forgot the knife.
No charges have been filed against Wright's attackers
When asked why Wright was still smiling after the game, the trio of attackers told reporters, “Hey, we’re baseball players, we don’t know how to fight.”
He sure as hell aint no Nolan Ryan …
Posted in Newspaperman with tags baseball, Kerry Wood, Major League Baseball, Nolan Ryan, Rick Helling, Roger Clemens, Score, sports on October 21, 2009 by Cardboard IconsYou’d be hard-pressed to find a pitcher from the 90s who didn’t spend much of his youth looking up to Nolan Ryan. And who could blame them. Ryan was the epitome of a power pitcher. He’d throw you in high and tight, and then break you off with a fastball on the outside corner. Kerry Wood loved him. Todd Van Poppel thought he was his son. And Roger Clemens tried to pattern his career after the Ryan Express, and to some extent he was better that his idol.
But what about Rick Helling?
Whomever decided to let Helling wear "34" should have been fired.
On his 1993 Score card — which is NOT his rookie, see 1991 Topps Traded for that — Helling is touted for hurling a 91 mph fastball and a “nasty” slider. But what intrigues me the most about this card is that Helling is pictured WEARING RYAN’S JERSEY NUMBER. What the Helling is up with that? Don’t the people in Texas know that number is sacred. I don’t care if Helling is supposed to be the second coming of Walter Johnson, good ol’ 34 is not to worn by anyone, especially if the originator of “34″ (Ryan) is still playing with the ball club.
Helling may have had a low 90s fastball and a “nasty” slider, but he sure as hell aint no Nolan Ryan, and his career numbers showed that. Helling did wound out with a pair of World Series rings and managed to play with six ball clubs throughout his 13-year career, but posted an ERA near 5.00 while doing so. So what is Helling up to these days? He’s a special assistant to Major League Baseball Players’ Association leader Donald Fehr.
2009 Topps Updates & Highlights Break
Posted in Box / Pack Break with tags Babe Ruth, baseball, baseball cards, Propoaganda Poster, sports, Topps, Turkey Red, Ty Cobb on October 20, 2009 by Cardboard IconsOver the last couple days I picked up 11 regular packs and a jumbo pack of 2009 Topps Updates & Highlights from three different stores. Here are the results:
Were these supposed to end up in New York?
Pack 1: Ty Wiggington, Sean O’Sullivan, David Eckstein, Ryan Braun All-Star, Joe Nathan All-Star, Propaganda Poster Ryan Howard, Topps Town Carl Crawford, Joe Crede, Jesus Guzman, Brian Moehler
Pack 2: Josh Hamilton Al-Star, Josh Bard, Mark Kotsay, Casey Kotchman, Matt Holliday, Legends of the Game Babe Ruth, Topps Town Brian McCann, Micah Hoffpaur, Takashi Saito, Raul Ibanez
I like the Ruth (Red Sox), but was an updated version of this necessary?
Pack 3: Michael Saunders, Brayan Pena, Sidney Ponson, Kevin Youkilis All-Star, Hunter Pence/Ryan Braun combo, GOLD Chad Gaudin (Yankees #/2009), Legends of the Game Paul Molitor, Gold Topps Town Chris Carpenter, Matt Palmer, Ross Ohlendorf
Pack 4: Ty Wiggington, Sean O’Sullivan, David Eckstein, Trevor Hoffman All-Star, Jack Wilson, Chone Figgins All-Star, Ring of Honor Mel Ott, Topps Town Jay Bruce, Mark Melancon, Joe Thurston
Thurman's beard is off the hook. Again, were these New York bound?
Pack 5: (short on cards) Gerardo Parra, Tyler Greene, Brian McCann All-Star, Jason Marquis All-Star, Topps Town Justin Verlander, Ryan Hanigan, Josh Anderson
Pack 6: Jonny Gomes, Daniel Bard, Adam Kennedy, Prince Fielder All-Star, Roy Halladay All-Star, Turkey Red Ty Cobb, Topps Town Chris Carpenter, Nick Green, Scott Podsednik, Heath Bell
This hurts. The pic is grainy and Boggs is pictured as a Devil Ray.
Pack 7: Matt Maloney, Brett Gardner, Scott Hairston, Chase Utlet All-Star, Gold Carlos Beltran All-Star (#/2009), VARIATION SP Wade Boggs (Rays), Topps Town Victor Martinez (Red Sox), Brad Penny, Brad Bergesen, Andrew McCutchen
JUMBO PACK: Jake Fox, Mark Lowe, Ben Francisco, Mike Sweeney, Chris Perez, Kyle Blanks, Edwin Maysonet, Russell Branyan, Alex Gonzalez, John Mayberry Jr., Dallas Braden, Luke French, Matt Maloney, Jason Grili, Edwin Encarnacion, Brett Cecil, Jorge Posada Season Highlight, Joel Hanrahan, Ken Griffey Jr., Ken Griffey Jr. Season Highlight, Ryan Hanigan, Jhoulys Chacin, Mark Melancon, Joe Thurson, Luis Valbuena, Carl Crawford Season Highlight, Jesus Guzman, Brian Moehler, Chris Tillman, Aaron Hill All-Star, Jack Hannahan, Ryan Church, Miguel Tejada All-Star, Victor Martinez All-Star, Catrlos Beltran All-Star, Jonathan Papelbon All-Star, Dan Haren All-Star, Tim Lincecum All-Star, Adam LaRoche, Nelson Cruz HRD, Prince Fielder HRD, David Wright All-Star, Albert Pujols HRD, AUTO Heath Bell, Gold Kevin Cash (Yankees /#2009), Ring of Honor Thurman Munson, Legends of the Game Frank Robinson, Turkey Red Jimmie Foxx (Red Sox), Propoaganda Poster Ryan Howard, Topps Town Brian McCann
Love these, they are not for trade.
Pack 8: Kevin Hart, Craig Stammen, Jason Giambi, Freddy Sanchez, Ryan Howard HRD, Propaganda Poster Todd Helton, Topps Town Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeff Niemann, Frank Catalanotto, Ryan Franklin
Pack 9: Matt Diaz, Gerardo Parra, Tyler Greene, Jason Bartlett All-Star, Yadier Molina All-Star, Propaganda Poster Dustin Pedroia, Topps Town Hunter Pence, Bud Norris, Scott Rolen, Mariano Rivera Season Highlight
These would look sooooooooo much better on cardstock similar to the Turkey Reds. They are begging for a matte finish, not glossy.
Pack 10: John Mayberry, Dallas Braden, Albert Pujols HRD, Ryan Freel, Ryan Zimmerman All-Star, Gold Jerry Hairston (Yankees #/2009), Topps Town Vernon Wells, Jeff Baker, Brian Fuentes, Orlando Hudson
Pack 11: Aaron Bates, Laynce Nix, Tim Wakefield All-Star, Ryan Howard All-Star, ALL-STAR GAME RELIC Trevor Hoffman, Topps Town Vernon Wells, Neftali Feliz, USA WBC Classic Walkoff
Kind of ironic that I would pull these two seeing as how Bell replaced Hoffman in San Diego.
